U.S. patent application number 12/988239 was filed with the patent office on 2012-01-26 for plaster with medication dispenser.
Invention is credited to Sharon Adoni, Simi Adoni.
Application Number | 20120022474 12/988239 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40792729 |
Filed Date | 2012-01-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120022474 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Adoni; Sharon ; et
al. |
January 26, 2012 |
PLASTER WITH MEDICATION DISPENSER
Abstract
An adhesive plaster (10; 110; 600; 800) provided with one or
more rupturable capsules (18; 118; 618; 818) containing one or more
kinds of medication.
Inventors: |
Adoni; Sharon; (Reut,
IL) ; Adoni; Simi; (Reut, IL) |
Family ID: |
40792729 |
Appl. No.: |
12/988239 |
Filed: |
April 16, 2009 |
PCT Filed: |
April 16, 2009 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IL2009/000418 |
371 Date: |
October 15, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61071195 |
Apr 17, 2008 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
604/307 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61K 9/703 20130101;
A61F 2013/00906 20130101; A61F 13/0203 20130101; A61K 9/7084
20130101; A61K 9/7092 20130101; A61F 2013/0017 20130101; A61F
2013/00285 20130101; A61F 2013/00646 20130101; A61M 35/006
20130101; A61F 2013/00651 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
604/307 |
International
Class: |
A61F 13/02 20060101
A61F013/02; A61M 35/00 20060101 A61M035/00 |
Claims
1. An adhesive plaster for treating a wounded area, the plaster
comprising: an adhesive cover; a first pad of a liquid absorbent
material for covering the wounded area; at least one squeezable
medication containing container, wherein the first pad and the
container are arranged such that squeezing the container releases
the medication to the first pad; and a second pad adapted to
separate released medication from the adhesive cover.
2. The plaster as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one
squeezable container comprises a capsule made of a material adapted
to be ruptured under pressure applied thereagainst.
3. The plaster as claimed in claim 1, wherein the squeezable
container has a narrowing portion, for releasing the medication
when the container is squeezed, and preventing medication from
being released when the container is not squeezed.
4. The plaster as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein
at least a portion of said medication container is located between
the first and the second pads.
5. The plaster as claimed in claim 3, wherein the narrowing
portion, faces the first pad.
6. The plaster as claimed in any of the preceding claims, further
comprising at-least one peal-off strip covering said first pad.
7. The plaster as claimed in claim 2 wherein the capsule is formed
with weakening lines that facilitate its rupture upon a pressure
applied thereto.
8. The plaster as claimed in claim 2 wherein the capsules contain
two or more different medications to achieve a combined
treatment.
9. The plaster as claimed in claim 2 wherein the capsules are made
of an at-least partly permeable foil material.
10. The plaster as claimed in claim 9 wherein the capsules are made
of Polyethylene.
11. The plaster as claimed in claim 10, wherein the capsules are
spherical.
12. The plaster as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second pad
extends between the first pad and the adhesive cover.
13. The plaster as claimed in claim 11, wherein said at least one
container comprises a plurality of containers sandwiched between
said first pad and said second pad.
14. The plaster as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the
containers are elongated and positioned upright in respect of the
first pad.
15. The plaster as claimed in claim 14, wherein the elongated
containers are spaced apart from each other so that each is
accessible for being squeezed without squeezing the others.
16. The plaster as claimed in claim 1, comprising a squeezable
container from which there extends an integrally formed elongated
narrowing portion, the free end of the narrowing portion reaching
between the first and second pads.
17. The plaster as claimed in claim 1, wherein said squeezable
container is located at one end of an elongated side of the
plaster.
18. The plaster as claimed in claim 1, wherein said squeezable
container is located at one end of a transverse side of the
plaster.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention generally relates to medication
delivery methods and more particularly to plasters.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Many different methods and products were developed and are
available, for addressing the matter of skin wounds protection and
healing. One of the most commonly used products is the adhesive
plaster also known as "band-aid". The plaster has two main parts,
the pad that covers the wound and the adhesive material that sticks
to the skin and holds the plaster in place in order to achieve an
optimal contact of the administered medication with the wound. The
conventional plaster, therefore facilitates the application of a
medication to the wound for a relatively long duration of time and
isolate the wound from external harming conditions and also creates
a fairly sterile environment, thereby accelerating the healing of
the wound and preventing it from becoming inflammatory.
[0003] Although the plaster is highly applicable and quite
efficient, it still holds a few disadvantages. For example, since
the adhesive plaster by itself does not hold any healing qualities,
one always needs to have the medication nearby. In terms of
hygiene, the need to apply the medication directly to the pad
imposes that the pad is exposed for a relatively long time to the
environment and to other infecting factors, such as unclean
fingers, dirt and dust, that might cause the inflammation of the
pad.
[0004] Also, since the medication may be applied to the pad only in
a small, limited amount, one needs to replace the plaster every few
hours. This frequent replacement might cause irritation of the skin
adjacent to the wounded area by the adhesive material and it also
exposes the wound to the environment.
[0005] Many attempts have been made to tackle part of the above
listed problems. Hence, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,297,032
there has been disclosed an adhesive bandage comprising an adhesive
cover, an absorbent pad (smaller than the adhesive cover) and a
protective layer attached to the adhesive cover and covering pad.
The protective layer carried a rupturable container of medicament
facing the pad. This method, however, does not completely protect
the medicament from becoming contaminated when opened.
[0006] It is the object of the present invention to cope with one
or more of these disadvantages and provide a more efficient method
of delivering medication to a wounded skin, while still maintaining
at least some advantages of the conventional plaster.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] According to the invention there is provided a plaster for
treating a wounded area.
[0008] Preferably, the plaster comprises: an adhesive cover; a
first pad of a liquid absorbent material for covering the wounded
area; and at least one squeezable medication containing container.
Preferably, the pad and the container are arranged such that
squeezing the container releases the medication to the pad.
[0009] Optionally, the squeezable container is a capsule made of a
material adapted to be ruptured under pressure applied
thereagainst.
[0010] Optionally, the plaster comprises a second pad, between the
first pad and the adhesive cover. In some embodiments, one or more
of the medication container(s) are between the first and the second
pad. In some embodiments, the container(s) have only a portion
between the two pads. Optionally, this portion is a narrowing
portion, allowing to release the medication when the container is
squeezed, and preventing medication from being released when the
container is not squeezed.
[0011] In some embodiments, squeezing the container releases the
medication to the interface between the two pads.
[0012] In some embodiments, squeezing the container releases the
medication to an interface between the first pad and the wounded
area.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] These and additional constructional features and advantages
of the invention will become more readily understood in the light
of the ensuing description of some preferred embodiments thereof,
given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a top view of a plaster with one of the corners
exposed to show the inner layers thereof according to a first
preferred embodiment of the invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a section taken along line II-II of FIG. 1;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the plaster of FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a plaster according to a
second embodiment of the present invention;
[0018] FIGS. 5a-5c illustrate optional forms of the medication
containing capsules;
[0019] FIG. 5d is a bottom view of the capsule of FIG. 5c;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a plaster according to a
third embodiment of the invention;
[0021] FIG. 7 is a section taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 6;
[0022] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a plaster according to a
fourth embodiment of the invention; and
[0023] FIG. 9 is a section taken along line IX-IX of FIG. 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0024] In FIG. 1 there is shown a plaster generally denoted 10,
which comprises a top adhesive layer 12, as conventionally known,
an intermediate pad 14 and an external pad 16.
[0025] A pair of peal-off strips 22a and 22b are provided as in the
conventional plasters (see FIGS. 2 and 3).
[0026] Capsules 18, containing a liquid or semi-liquid (such as
ointment) medication substance 20 are interposed between
intermediate pad 14 (shown upper in the drawing) and the external
pad 16. Preferably, the capsules 18 are spherical (but see FIG. 5)
and are made of a thin plastic material such as Polyethylene.
Alternatively, an at-least partly permeable ("breathing") foil may
be used as sometimes requested by the drugs regulators.
[0027] Applying a slight pressure on the plaster will cause the
rupture of the capsules 18 and the release of their content 20. The
medication will be soaked in the pad 16 and penetrate through it to
reach the wound.
[0028] Optionally, intermediate layer 14 is sterile, so that
contact between medication 20 and pad 14 does not contaminate the
medication. Optionally, pad 14 is made of an absorbing material.
Preferably, the pad 14 is made out of a material different from
that of pad 16. For example; in certain embodiments, pad 14 is made
out of a less absorbing material than pad 16 to reduce or prevent
wasting of the medication.
[0029] In some embodiments, pad 14 is made of a material which
repels the medication. For example; in one such embodiment a pad
with a hydrophobic surface facing the released medication is used
with a hydrophilic medication. Such combination allows for
minimizing medication waste.
[0030] The pad 16 is made of a sterile absorbing material and the
cover 12 may be fabric, plastic or latex rubber, with or without an
adhesive top layer.
[0031] It should be emphasized that the size of a capsule may vary
from a few millimeters to approximately one centimeter. Optionally,
one plaster may contain capsules of various sizes. The size may be
determined according to the texture of the medication (whether it
can be packaged at small volumes), the desired duration of
treatment, the amount of medication needed, the size of the plaster
and the nature of the wound.
[0032] The ability to place relatively large capsules in the
plaster enables a less frequent replacing of the plaster in
comparison to the conventional plaster. Also, when the capsules are
relatively small at size, one could achieve a "slow-release" of the
medication, if one presses the plaster in a way that only a certain
part of the capsules burst each time, while others remain intact.
This also contributes to less replacements of the plaster.
[0033] According to an additional unique feature of the invention,
different medications may be packed into some of the capsules,
depending on the injury type, and may be from the families of
antibiotics, antiseptics, steroids, burn-healing medications, etc.
A plaster containing several different types of capsules and/or
containing different medications, will achieve a multi-task
treatment never know before.
[0034] FIG. 4 illustrates a modified embodiment of the present
invention in which the capsules 118 are elongated ("torpedo
shaped") and positioned upright. This position enables top access
the capsules from outside the plaster, squeeze them to release the
medication. In some embodiments, selective squeezing of one or more
capsules, without squeezing other capsules provides a way to
release only some of the medication, keeping the rest of the
medication for use later, when other capsules have been
exhausted.
[0035] Optionally, capsules, the contents of which can be released
independently of each other are used for delivering medication to
only a portion of pad 116. This may be useful, for instance, when
pad 116 is larger than the wound, and the medication should not be
applied to healthy skin.
[0036] FIGS. 5a-5c show various examples of the medication carrying
capsule, namely in a spherical shape (FIG. 5a) and in "torpedo"
shapes (FIGS. 5b-5c). Weakening lines 430 can be formed, as shown,
in order to facilitate the bursting of the capsule upon
pressure.
[0037] FIG. 6 shows another plaster, generally denoted 600,
according to an embodiment of the invention. A section taken along
line VII-VII of FIG. 6 is shown in FIG. 7. Plaster 600 is bulged at
one side thereof for accommodating a squeezable medication
container 618. Container 618 is adhered to adhesive cover 612. It
further comprises a tubular neck 640, preferably integrally formed
with container 618, for delivering medication from the container,
preferably to an interface between intermediate pad 614 and
external pad 616. The neck 640 should be as short as possible, to
minimize the amount of medication that cannot be squeezed out of
the container. A pair of such containers 618 can be provided, one
at each side of the plaster 600.
[0038] FIG. 8 shows yet another embodiment of the invention.
Plaster 800 is similar to plaster 600, but with the container 818
facing the pads along the longer edge of the product. Optionally,
container 818 is not adhered to the skin next to the wound, and may
be squeezed from both of its sides when the main portion of the
plaster is adhered to the skin, without pressing the skin. A pair
of such containers 818 can be provided, one at each side of the
plaster 800.
[0039] Many changes, modifications, variations will become apparent
to those skilled in the art after considering this specification
and the accompanying drawings which disclose the preferred
embodiments thereof. All such changes, modifications, and
variations which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the
invention are deemed to be covered by the invention, which is to be
limited only by the claims which follow.
* * * * *